Rachelle Van Zanten

May 31, 2008

Miss Grumpy Pants

I am the grumpiest I have ever been. I don't want to be. I want to be happy me, but India is a tough country to tour in. Last night we played Chennai and Hamish's bass amp was so blown that it farted it's way to the end of the set. And the waiters kept body checking him as they paid the bar tabs. He held on but it was hard. We had to resort to an hour of Highland Dancing up in the hotel room for therapeutic purposes...well I did anyway. However the people were great and they loved the show. Thanks guys.
Nagpur...you rocked! You wanted rock and we gave it to you. THank you for being so hard core. We felt like crap after an all night train journey but after a little shut eye and mohitos, we were back to normal.
Now we are in Calcutta and there are alot of palm trees. We just did soundcheck and I was grumpy....so grumpy. I don't want to be grumpy but it is the lack of sleep and Spice Air and perhaps that fact that I have been on the road since March 13th. Wha wha wha. I'll stop whining now. We are actually being spoiled to death in 5 star hotel today and I already ordered apple pie for dinner and I am about to order 10 lattes!
Hamish is having a bath because he can for the first time on the tour. We are such spoiled little westerners!

May 30, 2008

May 30, 2008

May 29, 2008

May 29, 2008

May 27, 2008

Chai Chai Chai Again- Nagpur, India

We had a lovely gig at the Blue Frog even though I lost my guitar mojo for a brief 10 minutes. The venue is stunning and has hosted various international acts from around the world such as Bella Fleck for example. We then had a peaceful rest in our 5 star hotel before heading off shopping the next morning. The markets in Mumbai are excellent, mostly because there is alot of selection and good prices. Our lunch stop was at the famous Leonard's Cafe with a few great Australian peeps who saw us play the night before. The madness started shortly afterwards when we were picked up by our driver for a "short" drive to the train station. Well the short drive ended up being 3 hours and we had to sprint down a LONG platform with our gear on a cart to make the 8:30 pm train to Nagpur. Our gear didn't actually fit in the proposed night car so we moved up to first class at around 11 pm and made the best of the night. Lots of snoring and a man chanting "Chai Chai Chai" kept our sleep less than peaceful. I thought about strangling the Chai man at about 5 am but found ear plugs instead. So we arrived in Nagpur at 10 am to a stifling 44 degree heat and decided th best to do would be find a bar that served mohitos. I think we are going bowling later.

May 25, 2008

May 25, 2008

Pune Made me Happy

We stayed in Delhi for a few days and got Hamish adjusted to the wild roller coaster of cars, people, and horns. After the first day he decided that the new album was going under "RVZ and Horn Force". I like it. We then played a HOT and SWEATY show at the Mezz to a killer crowd of music loving peeps before sleeping one hour and catching a flight to Pune. The airports in India are absolutely MAD even by British standards (Stanstead is a walk in the park!) though we somehow managed to get all of our gear and luggage through the thousands of people and scanner machines and security check points and baggage dudes. We finally got on our plane after the ole full frontal frisk and then waited on the runway for 1/2 hour while things outside were going wrong. Once in Pune my spirits lifted as I saw foothills, mango trees, and a much calmer society. Ahhh. We stayed in a gorgeous guest house and my room was big enough to raise a modest mennonite family! The gig was at Soul and had a huge stage over looking a cocktail kind of lounge. All three of us were healthy again so we wined and dined and had smiles on our faces for the first time in a week. Delhi Belly can really bring you down after awhile. I think the only compaint i heard was from Graham- something to do with his mosquito bites. He is a city boy. So we rocked hard for 90 minutes and then i indulged in icecream and Sprite just because I could ( I never drink Sprite!). Rock Street Journal ie. Amit has been spoiling us rotten and now we are in a 5 star hotel in Mumbai and Graham keeps calling to use my computer. I keep telling him to have a nap and drink his minibar. We play tonight at the Blue Frog. I hear it's good!

May 23, 2008

May 23, 2008

May 20, 2008

Horrific he said...

So I am not sure we are meant to be here right now. India has been hard on us. Last night was an overnight bus jam on the freeway lasting 8 hours after an intense day in Jaipur and serious food poisoning. We arrived in Delhi 4 hours after schedule and hopped off to a scary crowd of aggressive auto rickshaw drivers at around 4 am. I was hanging onto my stuff with all my might and being very verbally aggressive in order to find a cab with a proper roof. Well, there was nothing so we eventually went with this dude in his rickshaw to make the long haul on the motorway to the IIT FLyover in search of our hotel. It took us 1 hour of wading through calf deep rain puddles to find it but eventually we did. Hamish had arrived 3 hours earlier so we were praying that he was sleeping peacefully inside. The door attendant assured me he was. So now it is the next day and I have seen Hamish striding about checking out his cellphone connection. So glad to have to him here to hold down the low end and lift me and G's spirits. I think we are taking a day off from the madness and eating fried eggs....yes, fried eggs are on the menu today!!!!!! That's one way to pick an English man up from the gutter. Jane has sent word that the tour is wonderful with great venues, soundmen, and endless amounts of fried eggs!

May 17, 2008

Jaipur and Happiness

Both Graham and I almost lost our wits in Delhi. It is a tough city to take when first visiting India. We were staying in the roughest part of town where taking an auto rickshaw is like being put through a washing machine. Luckily we had Aurora jane to help us out and give us tips. I say get out of Delhi as fast as you can. There were many good moments though...the food was splendid and I managed to miss getting "Delhi Belly" until the 3rd day and G has yet to get it. Amazing! The driving here is absolutley freaky but eventually you learn to just let go and accept the madness.
So now after a CRAZY car ride that lasted 5 hours, we are in the Pink City, Jaipur. I am so greatful as it is way more chill, happier, less polluted and the VM Bhatt family know me. Today I got to play with Salil Bhatt and he showed me the various blues scales with an India and perhaps Arabian twist. I think our jam was more fusion Veena than the call answer that he is used to. So hopefully some of the recordings turned out. So now it is 3 or 4 days of bizarres, camels, elephants, markets, Graham's twitching and good music.

May 13, 2008

Delhi Heat

Well we made it. My guitars did not. I freaked out. They are my children. While eating my breakfast of rice and Dahl, Jane made a phone call to KLM and found they are in Amsterdam on their way. Hallelujah. So now I can be a little happier.
Graham and I had a wonderful first day on the streets of Delhi. We have been striding out in complete confidence, looking like we know what we are doing. This is no easy feat when inside I am very nervous. We drove through the streets last night and I was shocked to see all of the street people sleeping right on the sidewalks. I knew it was coming but it still hits hard. Especially the children. We also took an auto rickshaw to the main bizarre and experienced driving with no rules amongst LOTS of cars, cows, people, dogs. Oh and the heat...38 degrees celcius today I think. Everyone keeps telling me to get out of Delhi so I think we may just do that. Hamish arrives on the 20th so we will get street smart for his arrival.

May 12, 2008

FFF also knows as Full Frontal Frisk

It never fails...every time I go through security in a German airport I get the FFF! Graham was amazed at the thorough full frontal frisk while heading to our flight to Delhi. I was too but had previously experienced it in Frankfurt so knew it was coming.
We are dead, dog, tired. We played an exhilarating show last night at Cafe Fatale on Oranienstrasse in Berlin. Hamish would have laughed his ass off had he been there because Graham had to play a Cahon (small box) instead of a kit due to my slack road and gear organization. It was cute. And we were blessed to have Simon on bass guitar. Nice licks man! K, and now a word from G...
Plaff!.....those of you who have been to school will know immediately that I've just made that word up been I'm too tired to care or think straight and I've just eaten the weirdest breakfast I've had for some time, suffice to say the Dutch can't make a decent English breakfast, I knew they wouldn't but I just can't handle any more ham and cheese so I gambled......and lost. So we are off to conquer India, or play them at conkers, I can't remember which. Must get Immodium....we're very excited about the tour but scared about the digestion/botty problems but it's gonna be an experience, that's for sure. Tally ho! RvZ again... so we have rupees and a ride from the airport. Just want to say a huge thanks to Mckinley Black for organizing our Berlin shows and being a killer tour manager last night. I also want to say thank you to Simon for learning our tunes last minute and to Pam and Mckinley for singing beautiful harmonies! I melted during The Cracks. Thank you to Christina for the tour and the break. Thank you to Katja for the killer breakie and bunk beds. And with that, we are off!

May 11, 2008

May 11, 2008

May 10, 2008

Puffy in Berlin

It was a long drive from Stockholm to Berlin but we did it. G and I are on the road, giving Europe one last go before heading off to India on Monday. The days have been hot and sunny and our time spent in Sweden was great. We managed to get some quality time with Gustav and his Sea Sick Sailor, Helena, in Helsingborg and then find a ferry that would take us to Germany. We have been relying heavily on Tom Tom navigator and without it I think we would have been hooped. Last night i played with Mckinley Black at Begine to a very cool crowd of feisty women. I had fun and enjoyed playing piano for a change. G wasn't allowed in cuz he is a boy so we sent him off with the navigation system to find a football match. He is most happy when he has ham and football. Today we drive the drums and the van back to Holzminden and then hang out with the good people of the Orange Blossom Special Festival. With little hullabaloo, we are then back on the train to Berlin for that last Euro show. Exciting times! Oh and my eyes and lips are puffy. Fun.

May 9, 2008

May 9, 2008

May 5, 2008

Hammers Lame on the Baltic

Stockholm, we LOVE you! Akkurat kicked ass and now we are on a day off on the Baltic Sea in the sunshine. Unfortunately Hamish can't walk due to a fall last night off of a hidden rock. Lots of rocks around here. I heard a scream and then Graham laughing and proceeded to look out the window to find Hamish lying in a bush. I think he will be better by tomorrow. On the positive side, it is sunny and he has ice and IBProfin. I saw a large goose flying towards me and then it turned into a giant swan and then it landed and I felt calm. Graham is suntanning his 2 pack and uncle Lars is spoiling us rotten. I have found his strat collection and have been practicing my modes in 'D'. I plan on swimming in about 1 hour and then perhaps a sauna is in order. Such a hard life. Actually it is a hard life. My body aches and my head hurts however I wouldn't trade it for much...well maybe a baseball career. Or cricket? Gotta get Hamish a sandwich now.

May 4, 2008

May 4, 2008

Dormitory in Uppsala, SE

Cheese and bread for breakie with a side dish of herring. I almost couldn't do it this morning. It may be the lack of sleep or perhaps that lack of training but I am craving a good Canadian breakfast now. Only another 2 months until that happens.
Hijazz was a great show last night. The sound was real on stage so I could feel everything that was going on. It made the jams much better. Thank you Anders for the great audio engineering. I also want to acknowledge another fan who came from Copenhagen (800 km away?) to see the show. Thank you Christina.
I just found Hamish upstairs and watched from afar as she too struggled to find his breakfast selection and I think G is sleeping in due to late Youtube surfing last night. We are heading to Stockholm today, one of my most favorite cities.

May 3, 2008

May 3, 2008

Semlor and Karlstad- I love you!

So we were right in the intro to the new tune "Showerhead" and then a plate of Semlor appeared and we all stopped mid song and got right into the whipcream. It was heaven! It was truly heaven! We LOVE YOU CAFE AUGUST! You make out dreams come true even when it isn't Semlor season. Thank you! Now my guitar is sticky with whip cream residue. It was worth it. Thank you to our new fans from Oslo who drove 500 km round trip to rock out last night. So wonderful.

May 2, 2008

May 2, 2008

Sweden Luvs Us This We Know

We were slightly sad looking as we drove into Skog after 16 hours of driving through 4 different countries. Hamish's team lost the quarter final in the Champions League against Chelsea last night and we smelled really bad-kinda like a dead horse. But Brunskog welcomed us with open arms. It was a sold out show and Graham was on the finest form despite the sorry fact that he left his cow bell and tambourine in Arnhem. We played for what seemed like forever and then partook in the fine sausages that the local sausage man had to offer. So now we are back and ready to take on the final leg of the tour. The guys just loaded the van and are now back for me and my clean clothes (thanks Lotta). We are folking out in Karlstad tonight and I hear three hotel rooms are on the menu. Yah. Oh and maybe some Semlor. Thank you so much to the good people of Skog for treating us so well. Oh and for the record, Belgium was far out...I love you! Arnhem was fun, loud but not as good as it could have been. And well I can't remember where else we have been. Love you mum and dad and I am still kicking.